A water feature can transform your swimming pool into a stunning design centrepiece in your backyard, and they are becoming more and more popular across Australia. But what type of water feature will work best for you? How much will it cost? And when is the ideal time to have a water feature built?
Here we answer all your questions about water features, and discuss the unique qualities they can bring to your backyard.
Why are water features so popular?
Your swimming pool is an important and hugely enjoyable leisure facility in your backyard. It’s the ideal place to spend quality time with family and friends, get fit and healthy, and enjoy the relaxing benefits of life in the water.
However, as well as being great fun to use, your pool also has to look good if you want it to provide maximum value. Including a water feature will instantly transform your pool into a standout piece of exterior landscape art. Water features look extremely luxurious – we have all seen them in the grounds of exclusive hotels, and in magazine photographs of celebrity homes. By adding a water feature, you can make your swimming pool stand out from the rest, giving your property an extra touch of luxury and improving the appearance of your yard.
For this reason, a water feature can increase the value of your property. Potential buyers will instantly be smitten by the opulent look of a water feature. It shows you have put a great deal of thought into the design of your backyard, and that your property is well cared-for. This will encourage them to offer a higher price, as they will feel more confident that they are buying a property which will need very little renovation work.
There are numerous ways in which a water feature can be used to add to the appearance of your pool. It can be positioned at the poolside to make your landscaping more decorative, for example, adding an extra “wet zone”. Alternatively, you can use a water feature as a divider between different areas of your pool, such as if you have a separate spa section. Whichever option you choose when positioning a water feature, it will add extra decorative appeal and complete the look of your pool.
Do water features add to the benefits of a swimming pool?
One of the main benefits of owning a swimming pool is that it assists with relaxation. Spending time in the water is one of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety, lower your blood pressure, and help you sleep better at night.
However, these benefits can be improved even further with a water feature. You can hear the sound of the rushing water and see it constantly moving, which adds to the calming experience and makes it feel more natural, as if you are swimming next to a waterfall or in a stream. This allows for an even more relaxing experience in your pool, enabling you to transport your mind to an exotic location at the end of a difficult day and feel your worries melt away as you relax in the water. This is a level of calm that is difficult to achieve inside the home.
The sound of the water will also encourage you and your family to spend more time outdoors, as it provides a constant reminder of your pool when you are doing other things. This means you are all likely to use the pool more often, enabling you to make the most of all the health benefits of swimming and spending more quality time together. All of this can have a profoundly positive effect on your wellbeing.
If you have children, a water feature increases the ways that they can enjoy the pool. They will love playing in the water jets, providing them with hours of extra fun even when they aren’t swimming!
How much does a water feature cost?
Water features do add to the cost of having a swimming pool installed, but they are more affordable than you might think. They are also good investments, as they enhance the benefits of your swimming pool and the appearance of your backyard landscaping, looking great at all times, whether in daylight or with the pool lights highlighting the water at night.
The cost depends entirely on the type of water feature you choose. A relatively simple water feature can cost as little as $2,000, whereas a more complicated structure can up to $8,000 or more.
The cost of each water feature will also vary depending on the size you select and the type of tiling you choose.
When is the best time to install a water feature?
Many people choose to have their water features installed at the same time as their pool is constructed, but this does not have to be the case. If you decide to buy a pool without a water feature but think you might want one in the future, a reputable pool builder can put the necessary infrastructure in place so that you can add a water feature at a later date of your choosing.
This can be a practical way of doing things, as it enables you to keep your options open. It will save you adding to the initial cost of your pool, and enable you to live with your pool before deciding whether or not you want to go ahead with a water feature. Once the infrastructure is in place, you can add a water feature at any time in the future, even years later. This way, you can plan and budget for your project, and have it installed at a time that suits you.
What are the most popular types of water feature?
Water features come in many different shapes, sizes and styles, and the type you choose should depend on the design of your pool and what will coordinate well with the rest of your property, as well as the overall look you want to achieve.
However, there are three types of water feature which we have found to be particularly popular with pool owners:
1. Sunpod
Designed and developed by Compass Pools Australia, the Sunpod is a water feature which offers maximum enjoyment for everyone who uses your pool. It has a classy design with a number of simple water jets bubbling upwards, so it does not look too ostentatious, but is ideal for creating extra design interest and making your pool look that little bit more special.
The Sunpod also makes an ideal “splash zone” for the kids, as they can enjoy playing around the water jets, adding plenty of extra fun.
The jets are created by extending concealed pipework from the pool into the structural beam around the pool, providing a controlled flow of water which pushes up from the “bubblers” and cascades back down into the pool. This simple but effective design stands the test of time and never goes out of style.
Sunpods can easily be customised to suit your preferences. They can be installed on any side of a pool, or wrap around a corner to make the design stand out even more. They also provide an ideal dividing section between your pool and spa. You can tile a Sunpod in a subtle way so it looks like an integrated part of your pool, or make it into a real standout feature by adding contrasting tiling.
2. Deck jets
Deck jets are ideal for extending the benefits of the pool into the poolside area or your other landscaping. They can be positioned anywhere you like, providing added interest, with water shooting upwards from the jets in the ground, back into the pool.
Deck jets are ideal for providing the sound and motion of running water, so they can add to your relaxation in the pool. They are also loads of fun for the kids to run through, and offer a convenient and quick way to cool down on a hot day.
These simple features look highly attractive, and their visuals are particularly effective when lit up at night.
3. Water wall
A water wall is a beautiful feature which is usually custom-made according to your preferences. It is designed so the water actually flows through the wall beck into your pool, creating the effect of a mini-waterfall in your backyard, and it is one of the most impressive types of water feature you can have built.
The “wall” itself is a structure which can be a size of your choosing. It is usually constructed either from timber or from steel and concrete, and can be tiled over to create a more attractive appearance. A water blade is then added, so that, when the water flows from the pool through the concealed pipework into the wall, the water blade pushes it out and it cascades back into the pool.
Water walls are more expensive than many other types of water feature, but they do add a huge amount of visual appeal and are extremely relaxing.
Find out more about water features
When you are considering a water feature to heighten the benefits and appeal of your pool, there is help available if you want more information and advice. Our authorised Compass Pools dealers have dedicated teams who are always happy to offer their knowledge and discuss which type of water feature is best for you. Please contact us if you would like more details about water features and how to have one installed.